Ayrshire WASPI group formed

Women in Ayrshire are taking part in a national group fighting pension changes affecting those born in the 1950s.

In what must be one of the fastest growing online Crowdjustice appeals ever, the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) pressure group have raised £100,000 nationally for its legal action against the government.

The first target of £50,000 was reached in a day, the stretch target of £75,000 a week or so later and with 10 days of fundraising still to run, WASPI asked Crowdjustice to close the appeal as it had reached £100,000.

With the funding already making its way to Bindmans, the top London law firm who are representing WASPI, Jane Cowley, Fundraising Director said: “Women Against State Pension Inequality Ltd want to thank each and every person who has donated to the fund.

“It’s inspiring to know that we have such a huge level of support and it is a real validation of our decision to pursue a legal case.”

The local Ayrshire WASPI group are growing in numbers and are a committed and motivated group with lots of ideas and plans to take the WASPI campaign forward.

This will include a rally and “Painting the Town Purple” with posters promoting the WASPI Campaign and reaching out to women born in the 1950s who still are not aware of how the changes to state pension age affect them.

The campaign now plans to use the funding it has gained to pursue one or more legal challenges to the government.

It has identified two potential means of legal redress for women affected by the changes to the State Pension Age: a judicial review challenge (or challenges) to the legality of the changes themselves; maladministration complaints regarding the wholly inadequate engagement undertaken by the Department of Work and Pensions regarding these changes.

Alongside the legal campaign, WASPI continues to engage with politicians from all parties.

WASPI leaders recently met with MPs from the Scottish National Party and discussed with Jeremy Corbyn and shadow government ministers how Labour might support the WASPI cause.

Its many local groups are making themselves heard in Tory marginal seats up and down the country and there is a growing awareness that 2.6 million 1950s women’s votes could make a big difference at the next election.